Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Standing Yoga Poses

Here are some of the basic standing yoga poses.You can get so many benefits from Standing yoga poses as they help with balance, strengthen your posture, relaxes and calms your mind as well as increasing your mind and body awareness.

As you inhale, raise your left foot and place the sole of your left
foot on your ankle, calf, mid thigh, or upper thigh with your toes
pointing down.

Keep your gaze at one point as you breathe.

Feel that your left knee is comfortably pointing out to the side.

The center of your pelvis should not drop to the left causing the entire pelvis to shift right.

Gently press your left foot into the right inner leg. Visualize
keeping your hip points and shoulders level with the ground by engaging
your right outer hip muscles and pressing lightly into the right big toe
mound.

Feel an energetic connection rising from the medial (inner) arch of
the right foot upwards to your inner groin line. Keep a light
contraction in your core muscles to keep the abdomen from falling
forward.

Place palms in the prayer at the heart. As you inhale, slowly
raise your arms overhead with your hands still in prayer. Keep the
shoulder blades from rising to avoid tension in the neck. Continue to
press your right foot lightly into the ground as the crown of the head
lifts. Stay here for several breaths

As you exit, exhale and slowly lower your palms to heart and softly
place your left foot on the floor into Mountain Pose. Pause to shake the
right foot and repeat on the other side.

Triangle Pose

UTTHITA TRIKONASANA

Stand at the top of your mat in Mountain Pose. Take a big step back
(approximately 3 feet) with your right foot, turning your foot towards
the side of the mat while keeping your left toes pointing forward. Your
two hip points are now facing the side of the mat.

Inhale as you take your arms out in a “T” with your palms pointing
down. You shoulders are relaxed while moving your shoulder blades
down your back.

Exhale as you begin to hinge at your hip towards your left leg, deepening the crease where your hip bone meets your pelvis.

Continue to reach out through the top of the head, keeping the spine
long, and both sides of the torso of equal length. Lift your knee
cap on your front thigh, contracting the quadriceps to support your
knee.

Allow your left hand to float towards your (from beginner to
advanced) shin, a block on the inside of the foot, a block on the
outside of the foot, or your fingers/palm on the mat or big toe.

Your right arm will float up towards the sky, keeping the arms in a
“T”. Which ever hand position you choose for your bottom hand, ensure
you keep your spine and torso long, without creating a bend in the
waist.

Draw your low belly in to support the lower spine.

Tuck your chin in slightly, lengthening the top of the neck near the skull, and turn your gaze up towards your right hand.

Keep your connection with the earth, especially grounding with the
outside of your back foot, and all four corners of your front foot.

Breathe comfortably as you hold the position.

To exit the pose, on an exhale look down towards your left foot,
draw your low belly in, root down through the feet, and inhale as you
rise up.

Turn and step back to the top of the mat and repeat on the opposite side

Warrior 1

Begin in Mountain Pose. Exhale as you step your left foot back
three to four feet. Align your left heel behind your right heel and
then turn you left foot out 45 degrees keeping your right foot forward.

Rotate your hips so both of your hip points are facing forward and parallel to the front of your mat.

Gently root the outer edges of your left foot into the mat as your hips and shoulders rotate forward.

Reach through your fingertips as the palms face inwards and
draw your shoulders blades down encouraging your shoulders to move down
and away from the neck. Feel as though your shoulder blades lightly hug
into your back.

As you continue to breathe, feel your right heel anchoring allowing
the toes to lighten and spread. Applying slightly more pressure in your
right heel rather than the toes will keep your right knee more stable
and will minimize the force being placed into the knee joint. Continue
to draw your tailbone under and towards the pubic bone and feed the
bottom front ribs in keeping your abdomen from swaying outward.

Picture the pubic bone lifting towards your navel.

Keep strengthening the pose by pressing the outer left heel into the
floor sending a lifting energy up the left leg into the pelvis and
through to the arms.

Stay tall over the pelvis feeling your ribcage (especially the back
edge) lift away from your pelvis. Keep your head in a neutral position,
gazing forward, or tilt your head back and look comfortably up at your
thumbs.

Breathe slowly and stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

To exit, exhale to lower your arms and place your hands onto the
hips. Inhale as you press firmly into your right heel and step your left
leg forward. Exhale to release your hands from the hips and adjust your
feet and pelvis into Mountain Pose.

Take a few breaths and then repeat with the other side for the same length of time.

Extended Side Angle Pose

Begin in Mountain Pose. Exhale as you step three to four feet apart.

Lift your arms horizontally so they are parellel to the floor with
your palms facing down. Keep you arms full of energy as you feel your
shoulder blade and heart region open.

While your legs are straight, angle your left foot in slightly to
the right and turn your right foot out 90 degrees. The right heel
should be aligned with the left heel after adjusting your ankles.

Lightly contract your thighs, and then rotate your right thigh
outward just enough that the center of your kneecap follows the
centerline of your right ankle. Rotate the left hip slightly forward (or
inwards), while rotating your upper torso back to the left thus
preventing your torso from facing downwards later in the pose.

As you inhale, ground your left heel to the floor. Then exhale and
bend your right knee over your right ankle, so that the shin is
perpendicular to the floor (as if performing a Warrior stance).

As you bend your right knee, gently connect the outer right foot
into the earth so that your knee continues to follow an even, centered
line over your heel.

If your strength permits, position your right thigh parallel to the
floor. Do not allow your thigh or hips to fall lower than the level
of your bent knee.

Continue to ground your left heel to the floor. As you exhale,
contract your abdominal and core muscles as you place the right side of
your torso down on your right thigh. Without falling heavy into your
thigh, press your right fingertips (or palm) on the floor just outside
of your right foot. Bring energy into the pose by connecting the right
knee against the inner arm. During this phase of the pose, your abdomen
may passively push out creating an increased arch in the lower back. To
prevent this unwanted passive arching, pull in your abdomen enough that
your tail bone draws under and towards the pubis.

As your left arm is now reaching straight up from the shoulder to
the ceiling, firm your shoulder blades against the back ribs. Then
turn your left palm to face toward your head, and as you inhale
reach your arm over the back of your left ear. Your palm should be
facing the floor without creating a crowded feeling in the neck and
shoulder.

Continue to elongate and stretch from your left heel through your
left fingertips, feeling a natural lengthening along the entire left
side of your body. If comfortable, turn your head to look at the left
arm while keeping the sides of the neck even. As the left side of the
body lengthens, mimick this length along the right side of the torso as
well. Stay evenly engaged through both feet encouraging lightness rather
than heaviness

To exit, inhale as you press both heels actively into the floor.
Feel your left arm reach and pull you toward the ceiling. As your right
leg straightens, bring your spine balanced over your pelvis and flow
your arms horizontal to the floor.